GAS-SENSING FOR FIRE DETECTION - MEASUREMENTS OF CO, CO2, H-2, O-2, AND SMOKE DENSITY IN EUROPEAN STANDARD FIRE TESTS

Measurements were made of the concentration of various gases during the course of six types of fire that conform to the British Standard BS5445 part 9 (which is identical to the European Standard CEN-54). It is shown that a 'chemical fire detector' that has good performance in all of the six test fires could be made by the measurement of certain gases. In addition, analysis of the output from the various signals could provide further information about the state of, and type of, fire, thereby reducing the risk of false alarms. The use of a chemical fire detector could therefore improve current fire detection systems.